Biography

Richard Nielsen is an artist, painter, photographer and printmaker. With a background in lithography and etching, Nielsen's painting and photographic practice is informed by the expanded field of printmaking. Committed to offering printmaking opportunities to established and emerging artists, Nielsen's Los Angeles studio, Untitled Prints and Editions, has hosted guest artists from around the world. Nielsen has been a close collaborator and life partner to Lauren Bon and her Metabolic Studio since 2007.

rnstudios@gmail.com

artsy.net available works

Selected CV

Richard Nielsen
Artist, painter, photographer, activist
Founding member & collaborator, (Lauren Bon, Richard Nielsen, and Tristan Duke) Optics Division-Liminal Camera, Lauren Bon's Metabolic Studio
Born-August 10th, 1966/Vancouver BC. Canada
Lives and works in Los Angeles CA

Education
2009-10 Santa Monica College/Thompson River School, General studies
Bachelors of Fine Art, Art history and printmaking
1984-88 Emily Carr College of Art and Design
Vancouver, BC Canada. Graduated with honors

Current
2011 to present Founding member & collaborator, (Lauren Bon, Richard Nielsen, and Tristan Duke) Optics Division-Liminal Camera, Metabolic Studio
2011 to 2022 Untitled Prints & Editions. Owner, Artist, Master printer
2009-11 Master printmaker VA/Strawberry flag Print Studios, Metabolic Studio
2008 to 2011 Resident artist to Lauren Bon’s Metabolic Studio, Farmlab and Chora council. Projects: Strawberry Flag, Veterans Hospital, West Los Angeles CA. Silver and Water, Owens Valley, CA

Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 "Micrographia" (Optics Division, Metabolic Studio) University of Wyoming Art Museum, Laramie, WY
2023 "Mining Photography. The Ecological Footprint of Image Production" (Optics Division, Metabolic Studio) Gewerbe Museum, Winterthur, Switzerland
2023 "Vibrant Waters" (Optics Division, Metabolic Studio) Temporary Gallery, Köln, Germany.
2023 "Mining photography: The Ecological Footprint of Image Production" (Optics Division, Metabolic Studio) Kunst Haus Wien, Vienna, Austria.
2022 "Dance and Eye" Light Moves Festival, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Ireland
2022 "Lauren Bon and The Metabolic Studio: Bending the River" (Optics Division, Metabolic Studio) Pitzer College, Claremont, CA
2022 "Dance and Eye" ARCANE Space, Venice, CA
2022 "The Art I Live With, The Things I Love" curated by Ansel Krut. CLAAS REISS, London, UK
2022 "Mining Photography: The Ecological Footprint of Image Production" (Optics Division, Metabolic Studio) Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, Germany
2020 "it’s your world for the moment" (Optics Division, Metabolic Studio) Zuckerman Museum of Art (ZMA), Kennesaw, GA

2019 "Heavy Metal" (Optics Division, Metabolic Studio) DENK gallery Los Angeles
2019 Optics Division - The 58th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia," Artists Need to Create on the Same Scale That Society Has the Capacity to Destroy: Mare Nostrum" Curated by Phong Bui and the Brooklyn Rail
2017 Optics Division "Handmade!" Perspectives on Art and Craft in the Digital Era
Photo LA 2017 – 26th Annual International Los Angeles Photographic Art Exposition
2016-17 "INFOCUS" (Optics Division, Metabolic Studio) Juried Exhibition of Self-Published Photobooks, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix (TX)
2016 "Los Angeles Art Show"  Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles (CA)
2015 Optics Division. "After the Aqueduct" four prints, Optics Division, LACE, Los Angeles Contemporay Exhibitions. Los Angeles, CA
2014 Optics Division. Chicago Humanities festival. Optics Division. Liminal Camera workshops Chicago Ill
2013 Optics Division. Rencontres Arles Photographies. Featured exhibition runner up. Arles, France
2013 Optics Division. "Not Exactly Between home and where I find myself " Redline Gallery Denver Colorodo
2012 Optics Division. "Occupy This!"  Katzen Arts Center. Washington DC
2010 Taller Experimental De Graphica, Havana Cuba
2010 Vermont Studios Residence Show. Johnston VT
2008 Los Angeles international Art Fair, Downtown Los Angeles        
2008 Outpost Gallery Drawing Show, Altadena CA
2008 Chora Political Prints, Los Angeles /TJ Mexico, Casa De Tunnel Tijuana Mexico
2008 All that heaven allows, Bonelli fine arts. Chinatown, LA, CA
2007 Amazed, Phantom Galleries Beverly Hills, CA
2007 "show" curated by Heather Cantrell, Jail Los Angeles, CA
2006 "Small works", Berlin, Germany
2005 Figuring the Image, Washington Projects, LA, CA
2001 Drawing show, Black dragon arts, Chinatown LA, CA
2001 Bloodlines, Roberts and Tilton, Los Angeles, CA
2000 For example, Acuna Hansen Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1998 The Gramercy International Fair With Stefan, Stux Gallery, West Hollywood, CA
1998 Invitational '98, Stefan Stux Gallery, New York, NY
1995 New Painters, William Turner Gallery, Venice, CA
1991 Fresh Art, Catriona Jefferies Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1991 Headache, Catriona Jefferies Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1990 Dance Art, Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1990 163 Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1990 Ism Ism, Smash Gallery Vancouver, BC
1989 Fax Show, Burnaby Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1988 High Rollers, Pitt International Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1988 Young Artist '88, Station Art Center, Vancouver, BC
1988 Educate, Perei Gallery, Vancouver, BC

Select Solo Exhibitions
2022 "Then & Now" Arts Club, ECUAD and ECUAD Alumni Association. Vancouver, BC
2021 "Past Imperfect" Track 16, Los Angeles, CA
2020 "This is not a gag, 2020 Covid portraits" MASS MoCA, West Adams, MA

2020 "Desiccated Capitol" Optic Division, Carl Berg & Cmay Los Angeles, CA
2020 "Dojo, recent painting"  BRUCE  Los Angeles Chinatown, CA
2019 "recent painted paintings" Lucas Reiner, Los Angele,s CA
2018 Optics Division "Hoosic: The Beyond Place" MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA
2016 Optics Division "Liminal Camera: Drought"  MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA
2015 Optic Division, "Liminal Infrastructure" De Paul Museum of Art. Chicago IL
2015 Optics Division. "Liminal Portraits" Co-Prosperity Sphere. Chicago IL
2014 Optics Division. "Transforming Inert Landscape into Agency" Nevada Museum of Art Reno Nevada
2013 "AgH2O" Optics Division. VSW Rochester NY
2013 "AgH2O" Optic Division. George Eastman Museum. Rochester NY
2011 "Flag Tour" Optics Division. Hirshorn Museum Washington DC
2005 Matrushka Construction, Los Angeles, CA
1999 Stefan Stux Gallery, New York, NY
1993 Cateriona Jefferies, Gallery Vancouver, BC
1992 Cateriona Jefferies, Gallery Vancouver, BC
1990 Cateriona Jefferies, Gallery Vancouver, BC

Selected Talks, Lectures, Reviews and Catalogs
2022 "Mining Photography: The Ecological Footprint of Image Production." 176 pages, 19 x 25cm, softcover, Spector Books
2022 "Dance and Eye Book of Photography." Catalog to accompany the exhibition at ARCANE Space.
2022 "DANCE and EYE: A group photography exhibition." Dance informa.  November 1, 2022.
2022 "Richard Nielsen Talks with Art Perry, Then and Now 2022." Emily Carr University. Emily Carr University Alumni Association.
2021 Sweetwood, Cole. "Pick of the Week: Richard Nielsen." Artillery, May 12, 2021.
2021 Richard Nielsen & John Collins – Artist Talk at Track 16. May 6, 2021.
2021 Brown, Nell Porter. "Our Masked Selves." Harvard Magazine. March-April 2021.
2020 "Art in Transit with Rich Nielsen & Denise Markonish." Brooklyn Rail, November 20, 2020.
2020 Huberdeau, Jennifee. "What would 2020 look like if you could paint its portrait? Artist Richard Nielsen dared to find out." The Berkshire Eagle. Nov 6, 2020.
2020 Molčan, Sára. "This is Not a Gag exhibition explores the blank canvas of masked selfies." Alumni Stories, Emily Carr University alumni association.
2018-ongoing. Exploritorium. San Francisco CA

2018 Optics Division. "Wonders of Art and Science: A Day of Discovery." Conversation with Lawerence Weschler
2018 Optics Division. "Albequerquie Wonder Cabinet." Tamarind Institute
2018 Optics Division.  "Believer Festival." Las Vegas NV
2017 Optics Division.  "Handmade! Analog Photography in the Digital Era.”
2017 "Photography:  Art or Craft." – Conversation.  Photo LA 2017 – 26th Annual International Los Angeles Photographic Art Exposition.

2016 Optics Division. "Truck-Sized Pinhole Camera Captures the Great American Panorama." Vice News.
2015 Weschler, Lawrence; Greg Davis and The Optics Division of the Metabolic Studio "Liminal Infrastructure." Chicago: DePaul Art Museum.
2015 Fox, William L. "Waterworks: Metabolic Studio and Watershed Sculpture Rebuild the Desert." Sculpture. Vol. 34, No. 7. September.
2015 "The Metabolic Studio’s devices of wonder." Boom Interview by Jon Christensen.
Boom – A Journal of California. Volume 5 Number 2. Summer 2015.
2013 Optics Division  Panel Discussion: "Back Through the Looking Glass". De Young Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
2013 KCET and Lauren Bon.  KCET - Artbound Special Episode "AgH2O". KCET.
2013 Nordström, Alison; Fox, William L. and Bon, Lauren. AgH2O. Rochester: George Eastman House International Museum of  Photography & Film.
2013 Rafferty, Rebecca. Art Review: "Silver and Water". City Newspaper. 20 Feb. 2013
2013 Charland, Megan. "Riding Around in A Camera." George Eastman House blog. 28 Mar. 2013.
2013 Nordström, Alison. "Liminal Elements: A Shipping Container Becomes a Camera Obscura." KCET: Artbound. 2 Apr. 2013.
2013 Fox, William L. "De-silvering the Mirror: Mining for Film in the Owens Valley." KCET: Artbound. 24 Apr. 2013.
2013 Nordström, Alison. Lauren Bon – "Silver and Water."  Les Rencontres Arles Photographies. Actes Sud 2013.
2011 Bon, Lauren & The Optics Division of the Metabolic Studio. "11.11.11." Metabolic Studio.
2011 Charland, Megan. Liminal Camera in ROC. Megan Charland online website. 25 Oct. 2011
2011 Suebsaeng, Asawin. "A Huge Flag and a Giant Camera for Veterans Day 2011." Mother Jones. November 11, 2011.
2007 Beyond Baroque "Truth etc" "sorry" illustrations.
2006 "Figuring the Image" Catalog by Washington Projects.
2001 Doug Harvey, Snap Shots, LA Weekly.
1992 Ann Rosenburge, Saturday Review, The Vancouver Sun.
1992 Archie Graham, Art Now, NorthShore News.
1991 Archie Graham, Deciding Authority, North shore News.

Awards and residencies
2022 Film from exhibition “Then and Now”- Berlin Shorts Awards - Best Covid Short
2022 Film from exhibition “Then and Now”- Best Short Competition, La Jolla CA. - Best Short Documentary
2022 Film from exhibition “Then and Now”- Great Message International Film Festival. Mumbai. - Best IPhone Short
2022 Film from exhibition “Then and Now”- Art House Beverly Hills - Semi finalist
2022 Film from exhibition “Then and Now”- Seattle Movie Awards - Semi Finalist
2022 Film from exhibition “Then and Now”- Calgary Independent Film Festival - Semi Finalist
2022 Film from exhibition “Then and Now”- Montreal Movie Awards - Semi Finalist
2022 Film from exhibition “Then and Now”- London Indie Short Festival - Semi Finalist
2019 Tamarind Institute. Albuquerque NM

2018-ongoing. Exploritorium. San Francisco CA
2013 AgH2O  Les Rencontres d’Arles Photographie  - Noir et Blanc. Discovery Award Nominee. Arles, France
2011 Visual Studies Workshop Rochester NY
2011 New Leif Press, Printing internship
2010 Taller Experimental De Graphica, Havana Cuba, printmaking residence
2010 The Vermont Studio Center. Printmaking residence
2008 Anderson Ranch, 2-month residency. Scholarship
2008 Vermont Studio Center. Painting residence
2008 the Association of Icelandic Artists, (SIM), residencies program Reykjavik

Collections
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles (CA)
DePaul Art Museum (DPAM), Chicago (IL)
Center for Art + Environment  Nevada Museum of Art, Nevada (NV)
Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester (NY)
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Los Angeles (CA)
New Jersey State Park Police, Trenton (NJ)
Creative Time, New York (NY)
Liberty State Park, Jersey City (NJ)
Trust for Governors Island, New York City (NY)
Millers Launch Inc., Staten Island (NY)
Mass Moca, North Adams (MA)
K&G Hamburg museum
George Eastman Museum, (GEH) Rochester NY
Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (MK&G) Hamburg GER